Harvard Health Letter articles from January 2006

Harvard Health Letter archives from January 2006

How to keep those New Year's resolutions.
January 1, 2006... Psychologists have identified successful ways of meeting self-determined goals, but they may not work if you're a perfectionist. It's hard to take New Year's resolutions too seriously. We know they are more often breached than observed, so...

How to handle a hangover.
January 1, 2006... Drinking fluids may help with the morning-after misery from getting drunk. Hangovers seem to be the body's way of reminding us about the hazards of overindulgence. Physiologically, it's a group effort: Diarrhea, fatigue, headache, nausea,...

Gallbladder surgery.
January 1, 2006... Most people who have their gallbladders removed are glad to see them go, but for a small percentage, the operation seems to cause bowel problems. Like your appendix and spleen, the gallbladder is something you can do without. Each year,...

Patient, protect thyself?(medical errors preventable by alert patients)
January 1, 2006... Studies show that you can, as a patient, spot and possibly prevent a medical error from happening to you. American medicine used to keep mum on the subject of medical mistakes and the harm they do. Harvard researchers helped break that...

Could high blood pressure be causing your headache?
January 1, 2006... The pendulum has swung back and forth on the connection between hypertension and headaches. A study finds they could be related. Sometimes a headache throbs just as they show in pain-reliever ads. Other times, it feels like your head is...

By the way, doctor; What can I do about thrush?
January 1, 2006... Q. I've had thrush three times this year. I read that it can be connected to stress, but also to serious diseases. One doctor told me I was "somatizing." What is thrush and could it be related to somatizing? A. Thrush is an infection of...

By the way, doctor; What are my choices for treatment of acute urinary retention?(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q. I developed acute urinary retention after having a pacemaker put in. I'm a 90-year-old man and in pretty good shape considering my age, but I'd rather not have any more procedures. What are my options? A. An inability to urinate is a...